


The Fear of Fascination

by nerdygiraffee



Category: ATEEZ (Band), Dreamcatcher (Korea Band), Monsta X (Band), ONEUS (Band), Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Betrayal, Fantasy, Fascination, Fear, Finding the truth, Friendship, Future, Interplanetary Travel, Jealousy, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Superpowers, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:55:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29883513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdygiraffee/pseuds/nerdygiraffee
Summary: SUMMARYThe gifted inhabitants of Ektore know they are in danger when San, a rare clairvoyant, sees a vision of humans attacking their realm. That, on top of the fact that their population has started declining since their first contact with humans, left King Sohn desperate for the truth.He first sends the Royal Commander, Mingi, to accompany San's brother, Jongho, and his friend Yunho on a mission to secure the stone that is the sole reason for Ektore's existence. Then, he seeks help from Mythlik, their neighboring realm on the planet Fallis. Wonho the Centaur has already agreed to send out a scout to Earth, but the Mythlikees turn against each other as they question this decision that seems to only put their realm in danger.Meanwhile on Earth, Seonghwa and Yeosang, both elites of the innovation team B.E.A.S.T., are busy studying the specimen they have taken from Fallis during their first visit. Ever since they discovered extraterrestrial intelligence species in the early 2200s, it has always been a top priority to determine their hostility. Yet when the answer presents itself in the form of an uninvited guest, tension arises between Earth and Fallis.Will the planets be able to live in harmony again? Or will fear and greed take control, forcing both sides to take action?
Relationships: Choi Jongho & Choi San, Choi Jongho/Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi, Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Kang Yeosang & Park Seonghwa, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Kudos: 5





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> SUMMARY
> 
> The gifted inhabitants of Ektore know they are in danger when San, a rare clairvoyant, sees a vision of humans attacking their realm. That, on top of the fact that their population has started declining since their first contact with humans, left King Sohn desperate for the truth.
> 
> He first sends the Royal Commander, Mingi, to accompany San's brother, Jongho, and his friend Yunho on a mission to secure the stone that is the sole reason for Ektore's existence. Then, he seeks help from Mythlik, their neighboring realm on the planet Fallis. Wonho the Centaur has already agreed to send out a scout to Earth, but the Mythlikees turn against each other as they question this decision that seems to only put their realm in danger. 
> 
> Meanwhile on Earth, Seonghwa and Yeosang, both elites of the innovation team B.E.A.S.T., are busy studying the specimen they have taken from Fallis during their first visit. Ever since they discovered extraterrestrial intelligence species in the early 2200s, it has always been a top priority to determine their hostility. Yet when the answer presents itself in the form of an uninvited guest, tension arises between Earth and Fallis.
> 
> Will the planets be able to live in harmony again? Or will fear and greed take control, forcing both sides to take action?

For a while, his world was only darkness. He wanted to open his eyes but every time he tried, it was like his eyelids were made of lead, and that exertion alone was enough to make his head hurt. Shadows crept in and out of his vision that was forever fixed to one spot simply because he lacked the ability to look anywhere else. Sometimes, it was a black shape against a light background. Other times, two or three outlines faded in and out in the grey dimness.

Once, he descried two yellow gems above him, bright like stars yet blurry like the trails of light left behind by fireflies. " _San... San_ ," a voice called his name. He recognized it but did not know it. Many voices called his name all the time.

" _San, please wake up._ "

When he returned, the darkness changed. It started with a shard of green, blinking and luring. _Life_ , he thought. _Or... Earth._ The idea struck him as odd; he did not know where it came from, except for that one lone source that penetrated the night.

And then the colors followed, growing around the edges of the first and spreading like water. The gold overlapped the green, swirling like borealis in the sky. _Health_. Red joined in next, stark and vivid. _Fire._ There was harmony in the mixture, but the moment was dominated suddenly by the entrance of teal. _Strength_.

When more continued to come, he began to notice a structure. The hues were liquid in a container; each a part of a whole volume that filled a crystalline form. Orange, _humor._ Pink, _movement._ Basil, _growth_. Scarlet, _defense_. Then came black, but not the same that blanketed him now. _Ink_. Lastly, the purple – his own – shimmered lightly with the rest, somewhat there and not at the same time. _Knowledge_.

He thought it was done when they all came together. Together, they were a beacon in the void. _The key_. Another idea crept into his brain unwillingly, much like how a foreign shadow moved in to shield the colors. It was uninvited, immiscible with the others. _An intruder_. It blocked the light and lifted it from where it once sat comfortably...

All at once, everything spilled and the power was so strong it pierced into his eyes like knives. He attempted to shut his eyes, forgetting that they were already closed, and needles were sent flying to his brain.

" _San!"_ The voice came again. He was back out of the darkness, a momentary reprieve... or was it? " _You had a bad dream, that's all. Can you sit up?"_

But he could only _hear_ , and the only eye he could see with was his mind's. He tried to move, only to find stone and earth layered on top of his limbs – at least, it _felt_ that way. The voice urged him again, growing desperate. _I can't!_ he wanted to scream. _It's not time yet._ There was more to see, some unfinished part of the story. _I have to go back._

So he went back. With the crystal gone, he assumed only the night remained. But when he tried hard he could make out the figures in the grainy dark. Tiny ones, as if he were a giant looking down on the world. Hundreds, thousands, millions of them coalescing into deformed pieces, yet none of them matched. The largest piled over one another, colored in a shade even darker than the background. _Is that even possible?_ It charged, drowning every other bit on the field: the one with a glowing outline that matched the first color he'd seen emerging from the void, and then the smallest one with a pale, unsaturated image, as if all color had been drained from them.

He still could not move, so he relied on feeling. Every cell and nerve in his body was tingling, vibrating, _warning_ him. Something was wrong, he knew, and he wanted to fix it. But he now understood that he was not a giant after all; he was just far away and out of reach, a crow in the clouds watching predator hunt prey. Like the crow, all he could do was wait for his turn to soar down and pick up from the aftermath.

Before any of that could happen, though, another burst of light blinded him from the bowels of the void and fight. The flames engulfed all pieces and figures, large and small alike with no direction, manner, order, or bias. He could tell that although this was less significant – imminent – than the spillage of colors, this was somehow more dangerous. For when he jolted awake again––

" _If you can hear me, San, you have to talk to me!"_ The yellow gems were back, glowing more fiercely than last time.

He shouted back, _I'm trying!_ As painful as it was, he had to get everything out. All that he had seen, so that others could decipher any meaning there was behind those images. There was scarcely an instant for him to form his sentences, and he only hoped that the owner of those yellow gems understood what he had said.

Just as quickly he was back in his own world again. This time, he knew, the darkness was going to be eternal.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When San's condition failed to improve, Jongho felt it was his fault.

Jongho's heart hammered against his ribcage. His bare feet sunk into the cool soil, leaving deep impressions in his wake. It was times like these when he wished that, instead of the power to manipulate fire with a snap of his fingers or a flick of his wrist, he had the ability to teleport. So that, in times like _these_ , he did not have to rely on a messenger, who was running alongside Yunho, both struggling to keep up with his strong calves.

For all Jongho knew, a second's difference could be all it took to change everything.

The trees parted, revealing the main town of Ektore and, beyond it, the glistening surface of Sandlight Sea. But there was no time for Jongho to admire the view this morning. He ran down the wide unpaved roads, past vendors and their fruit stalls, people tending to their gardens, children experimenting with their newly-discovered powers in the schoolyard. Nothing could stop him now, not even the enticing aromas and laughter and chatter of the community he loved and called home. He ran until he reached the familiar bend of the coast where his small house stood atop a small hill.

Jongho did not bother to clean the mud off his feet before rushing in, unaware of the strangers milling about in his kitchen and living room. By the time he reached San's bedroom, tears were threatening to fall from his eyes.

There he was, lying on his sickbed, wearing the clothing that all Ektorians wore: a loose, oversized cotton blouse with kimono sleeves that pooled around his thin waist, and a pair of matching leggings in the colors of nature. They did not wear shoes.

San's garments were dark orange, like rotting leaves in autumn. He had been sick for months, but it seemed to worsen every day, until he could not even leave the house anymore. So when Hwanwoong - both the messenger and the caregiver of the household – summoned Jongho and told him that San was in critical condition, he dropped everything he was doing. As a pyrokinetic in town, of course, he would help in all situations where a fire was needed. The people at the party were probably waiting for him to return and continue roasting meat for them.

He stumbled forward, eyes trained on San, who looked paler than ever. Perspiration dotted his forehead, and his eyebrows were slightly knitted together in pain. Jongho's vision blurred, but when he saw who it was standing by the bed, he quickly blinked to hold back his tears.

It was King Sohn, ruler of Ektore. His appearance matched those of average civilians in the realm, except one sleeve and one pant leg were embroidered with tiny jewels that spiraled down his limbs.

"...course," he told another Ektorian next to him. "I already sent a messenger to Mythlik about the news..." He trailed off when he noticed he had company, and sent the other man away before turning to Jongho.

"You must be a close friend of San's." The king lifted an arm towards Jongho, his sleeves spreading like wings. "I'm so sorry, son, he's fallen into a deep––"

"Jongho," someone called out in a soft exclamation.

Jongho whirled around to see Yunho and Hwanwoong, still panting after the run. They had pushed through the crowd of council members that had formed at the door, and now their eyes were glowing with their respective colors – gold and yellow. Both were primarily healers, but of different ranks.

King Sohn padded across the room. He seemed to share the same intent as the two younger Ektorians, and placed a reassuring hand on Jongho's shoulder.

"Apologies for the intrusion, but I've recruited the best healers in town. And I'm sure your friends here will help, too." Yunho nodded respectfully, though his gaze was on Jongho. "You see, before San fell... asleep, he––"

Again, the king was interrupted before he could finish. This time, it was Jongho who shrugged off his hand unceremoniously and shouldered past everyone else, picking up his pace before dashing out the house entirely.

Healers of Ektore could only mend physical wounds; even if they kept San's body alive, his spirit would remain in deep sleep. And although Jongho, out of everyone, would know this best, he loathed to stay and hear others talk about it, as if keeping it unsaid would make it fictitious. It did not matter if the king was there, or that he had something important to share. He loved San, yet he realized it hurt to look at him this way because all it did was remind him how useless he was.

So he ran away, like he always did when he felt upset. All he wished was for his problems to disappear amidst the wild tangling branches of the Twilight Forest, and having been left alone for hours way past lunchtime, it almost worked... until Yunho found him. Again.

There was a small spring not so far into the southern treeline, but it was ancient and had been dried for decades. He had been sitting inside, leaning against the bank with his head resting on a rock, when Yunho made his way down from a small hill to join him.

"You haven't eaten since breakfast," Yunho tried.

Jongho turned his face to the side, feeling the scorching white sun on his skin. A strand of his red hair rolled down his forehead and dangled in front of his eyes, as bright as fire under the light. He brushed it aside nonchalantly. _If only it was this easy to brush the burdens away._

"What are you thinking of?" Yunho crouched at the edge and asked.

Though Jongho had a feeling he already knew the answer, he managed to mutter, "San isn't even my real brother..."

It was true – all Ektorians had no family. It was simply because Jongho and San came to the world at the same time that they treated each other as kin. Somehow, that was worse. He was not obligated or anything, yet they had invested their hopes into each other. Now, it just felt like he had failed him.

"He'll get better," Yunho insisted. "Just like before."

"You know that's not true," the younger one snapped back, his neck tensing. He regretted it almost instantly when he saw a frown forming on Yunho's face. Other than San, Yunho was probably the only other person in the world who cared about him. His heart clenched.

"Look at me," the healer demanded.

Jongho obeyed. They stared in silence until their limbs and necks were sore from keeping the same position. Involuntarily, his eyes wandered up. "Black hair suits you really well," he whispered, surprising himself with the abrupt words.

Yunho touched his bangs self-consciously and blushed. It was the humans who inspired him and even fixed up a dye for him during their first visit to Fallis.

Under different circumstances, Jongho would have giggled at his older friend acting all flustered. But it hardly seemed appropriate now, so instead, he tucked his knees under his chin and apologized. "I... I shouldn't have run away. I'm sorry."

To his surprise, a large warm hand rested on his head and began stroking gently. He glanced up gingerly to see Yunho smiling down at him, the sun creating a halo of light behind the man. All of a sudden, tears welled up in his eyes again and he blinked furiously before they could fall shamelessly down his cheeks. "I just don't know what to do anymore. At first, I tried to hope, but if even someone like the _Master Healer_ can't make San better, and nothing like this has ever happened in Ektore before, then what's the point for me to keep trying?" He scoffed at himself, chest throbbing. "That's the thing; I _wanted_ to give up. I almost wished San would––"

" _No_ ," Yunho said sharply, cutting him off. Jongho ducked slightly when he felt a soft yet chastising smack on the back of his head. "I won't allow you to say anything like that. Where's the strong, fire-wielding Jongho I once knew?"

For a moment, Jongho glared at the man, as if that alone would bid him away. Then he decided he was too tired to care, to argue, to talk things out. So he rose, planning to go home and sleep it out. It always worked. _Just sleep the problems away_.

Yet when he was about to step out of the spring and onto the damp mud ground of the forest, he felt a tug on his apple-colored sleeve.

"Nope," Yunho said, shaking his head. "You're coming with me."

Jongho suppressed the urge to groan. "Where?" A breeze picked up his blouse, revealing some of his golden-brown skin. The trees surrounding them rustled and whispered excitedly.

"The castle. King Sohn wants to see you." Yunho stood as well, an ambivalent expression on his face. Jongho thought it was somewhere between triumphant hope and grave solemnity. "He was going to tell you, then you ran off."

"Tell what?"

"San had a prophetic vision."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wooyoung was just an average unicorn lord who named his unicorn after his crush... until he stumbled upon grave news (and a magical centaur) that threatened to change his life forever.

"Two, four, six..." Wooyoung counted under his breath. Something was not right, so he backtracked and did it again. "...eight, ten..." Yet no matter how many times he counted, the largest number he could arrive to was eleven.

Which meant that one of his unicorns was missing.

"Felix!" he cried out desperately as he scrambled down the tree he was perching on, almost slipping from a branch and falling face down onto the earth. "Felix!"

A pale blue freckled-elf emerged from the stables with cotton candy clinging to his beanie. He was holding a bucket almost as tall as himself, confectionary spilling from its sides. "What?"

But his boss walked right past him and straight down the aisle of unicorn pens.

"Pudding, Cloudy, Bumbum, Bunbun," Wooyoung read the name tags aloud, his unicorns whinnying in response. "Peppermint, Truffle, Cream, Choco, Cookie," the unicorn lord continued, growing more anxious as he neared the end of the stables. "Brownie, Maple—" He paused abruptly and squealed upon seeing the last empty pen.

"Sannie's missing!" Wooyoung spun around, causing Felix to lean back involuntarily.

"You mean the unicorn you named after your crush?" the elf snickered. "During that primary school field trip when you went to Ektore?"

In spite of himself, Wooyoung felt his cheeks flush with heat. Before it could manifest into a visible blush, he hid it behind a mask of fury. "Where'd he go," he demanded. "What'd you do with him?"

"Relax." Felix set down the bucket and crossed his arms defiantly. "I just let him out for a bit so I could clean his cotton candy bed. See? He's right there..." He froze, halfway from turning around to the woods behind him.

There was not a shadow to be found, let alone a unicorn's one.

Wooyoung gaped at the elf, but he was more worried than angry. None of Felix's apologies or offers of help could reach into his heavy heart. Instead, he turned to the unicorn nearest to him and placed a gloved hand on her snout.

"Cookie," he whispered, closing his eyes. "Tell me, where did your friend go?"

Cookie snorted and tapped her hoof on the soft ground. _That way_ , she spoke, in a language only her lord understood.

Wooyoung nodded and unlatched Cookie's gate, guiding her out with his hand on her nose. He swung himself onto the majestic creature, who then took the lead and followed the tracks on the soil left behind by Sannie.

Felix rushed out of the stables. "Stay safe, boss! I'll take care of the others, I promise!"

By then, man and unicorn were already far into the woods.

Unlike its neighbor, Mythlik was expansive, full of wonders, and _dense_. The native trees of the realm, called treasurewoods, were towering and enchanting. They touched the clouds, and their glittering trunks were so thick it took ten normal-sized people to wrap around it once. Mythlikees inhabited every corner of the realm, from burrows to tree holes to houses in the branches. There was no way to know how many there were. Amongst its complexity, the creatures here navigate with the forever-visible stars in the pink and blue sky, and more often than not they either traveled on wings or on strong, endurable legs.

Wooyoung leaned down and wrapped his arms around Cookie's neck, feeling her tickling mane on his chin. He gently squeezed the unicorn's sides with his boots that were all leather and covered with a layer of soft manticore fur, urging her to speed up.

Like the wind, they weaved through erotic plants and fungi, passed elf houses and harpies' nests, until suddenly, Cookie dug her hind legs into the moist ground and stopped right before a clearing in the forest.

The lord dismounted and looked around him. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a unicorn tail peeking out of two shrubs: its pastel-colored hairs were brushed until they shone, iridescent under the round sun and two moons of Mythlik.

"There you are," he exclaimed quietly. He unzipped a pouch on his belt, woven from vines and leaves, and smeared a handful of sweet honey on the bark of a nearby tree. This should keep Cookie busy for a while.

Wooyoung jogged to where Sannie was and sighed in relief to see his unicorn unscathed, stretching his neck to reach a hive hanging from a high branch. "You greedy horse!" Wooyoung scolded, petting Sannie's pure white coat. "Why come all the way here for honey? You need to stop wandering off. It worries me."

Sannie whinnied, cleaning the golden droplets from his whiskers with a pale pink tongue. He stared at his owner with wide, elated pupils, and Wooyoung could not stay mad at his favorite unicorn any longer. "Alright, let's go home..."

But there was a loud rustling in the canopies overhead that made him whirl around. Through the bushes, he saw numerous oval structures, built of ancient mossy stone, surrounding the clearing in a perfect circle.

It was the famous Portal Glade, a hub for Mythlikees to travel between worlds in the cosmos. The realm was impossible to map out; if it weren't for the unicorns' magical sense of direction, Wooyoung would have never known that he lived so close to the clearing.

He'd be lying to say he was not excited about this new discovery, but there was no reason for him to stay. He was about to bring his two unicorns home when he felt them _rebelling_. Pulling him back, not willing to leave. And they never did that, especially not Sannie.

Wooyoung was appalled and too dumbstruck to do anything for a moment. That was enough for Cookie to nudge him until he spun around and was facing the glade again.

This time, he saw not just the frames of the portals, but one that was activated. It swirled blue and green and white, and someone was standing next to it.

Wooyoung almost squealed again when he recognized him as Wonho the Centaur, the leader of the Mythlik. To say it was an honor to meet him in person, in this huge realm, was an understatement. Wooyoung had only ever heard of him and saw his pictures in books.

He pushed the foliage out of his face so he could get closer for a better look. Wonho was talking to three other figures at the bottom of the stone stairs that led up to the portal. Although their backs were turned to Wooyoung, the black horns and wings were clear indications of their species: dark fairies, known for their incredible flight endurance, powerful magic, and perceptive nature. Perfect candidates for adventurous excursions.

"I want you to remain a low-profile at all times," the centaur ordered. "Don't interact with anyone unless it is _absolutely necessary_. Do you understand?"

The dark fairies nodded. "We will focus on observing and collecting information," one of them said.

"Yes," another one pitched in. "We will return with knowledge of their plans... if they have any."

Wonho trotted down the stairs and addressed the last fairy who had not spoken yet. "Hongjoong, I assign you the leader of this mission. I trust you will make the right decisions. Report back immediately if things seem... off." He stepped aside for the fairies to pass. "Stay safe, all of you. Remember, there is a potential danger to this. The wellness of Mythlik - of Fallis - is in your hands."

The fairies stretched their wings and made their way up to the portal, where they disappeared one by one, leaving behind green particles of their magic.

Wooyoung's mind spun and his heart raced. He was trying to comprehend the situation he just witnessed that was clearly not meant for his eyes. But no matter how many times he flipped the information over, just like he did when he counted his unicorns earlier, the only conclusion he could come to was that his realm was in danger.

And the enemy, it seemed, were humans. The humans who were so nice to them during their first visit.

What bothered the unicorn lord more was the fact that he knew one of the fairies. Hongjoong was his friend, but he never mentioned anything about a mission or meeting with Wonho the Centaur. If things were so secretive...

Wooyoung was pulled out of his thoughts abruptly when he felt something slide past him in a gust of wind. By the time he reached out to hold them back, Sannie and Cookie were already racing across the clearing, straight for the opened portal.

"Wait!" Wooyoung scrambled to follow, but the mud had sucked his boots in. He could only watch in dismay as his unicorns startled the leader, who jumped over the stairs in one great leap and blocked off the portal with his body.

The unicorns whinnied in what Wooyoung understood to be mockery when he approached Wonho's side, slightly panting.

"I'm sorry, uh..." Wooyoung licked his lips, overly conscious of the fact that the centaur was basically towering over him. "Sir?"

Wonho laughed. "Just call me Wonho."

Wooyoung chuckled sheepishly. "Right. Sorry about my unicorns." He waved for Sannie and Cookie to return to his side, adding just a little aggressiveness into his gesture. "Um... I'm––"

"I know who you are, child." Wonho smiled, though his eyes glinted with regret. "You're Wooyoung, a unicorn lord."

Wooyoung's face lit up with mild disbelief. "How...?"

"Perhaps you were too young to remember." Wonho stroked Sannie's mane, looking into the woods reminiscently. The unicorn seemed to enjoy the attention. "I was in charge of the field trip to Ektore. You were the one kid who whined and cried at the end of the day, unwilling to leave because of a certain _friend_ you made, I believe." Wonho winked.

Wooyoung averted his gaze to his toes, to the trees, to the sky. Anything but the horses – and half-horse – that surrounded him. He wanted to bury himself into the ground and scream for eternity.

Thankfully, Wonho had already moved on from the slight tease. He started walking, so everyone else followed naturally. "I assumed you saw everything. It was supposed to a clandestine execution." Here, Wooyoung tensed up, but the centaur noticed and quickly added, "Relax, child. I'm about to announce it at the House tonight. To everyone."

Wooyoung paused and looked up at the leader, feeling the growing lump in his throat. "Announce what?"

It was Wonho's turn to look away. His voice, cheery and light-hearted a while ago, was now laden with concern and the weight of his realm. "I remember very clearly, Wooyoung. That's why I first thought of you when King Sohn of Ektore told me about San."

Wooyoung's stomach dropped at the name. Sannie whined.

"Just this morning, San blessed us with a vision – a warning – of humans attacking Fallis." Wonho forced himself to face Wooyoung directly. "I'm sorry. He fell into a deep coma after that, and... if I'm so honest, their healers are not so hopeful."


End file.
